The commodore of the Bangor, Wash.-based Submarine Squadron 17 was relieved of command Nov. 4. Capt. Scott Bawden was fired “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to remain in command,” by Rear Adm. Frank Drennan, commander of Submarine Group 9. He has been reassigned to Navy Region Northwest.

No further information on the relief was provided by Group 9 officials.

Bawden spent seven years as an enlisted Marine before earning an electrical engineering degree and a Navy commission. He earned a Bronze Star as commander of the attack submarine Providence for its role in Operation Enduring Freedom.

In 2002 he won the John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership from the Navy League, according to his official biography.